What happens if I registered but did not take the Board Exam?

Pinoy Money Talk

You registered to take the Board Exam. And yet, the unthinkable happened: you were unable to take the scheduled exam.

You probably have your reasons. You got nervous or became afraid and decided not to show up. You got sick and was unable to go to the testing center. Or you woke up late and couldn’t make it on time.

Whatever the reason is, you’re probably wondering:

What happens now? I registered but did not take the Board Exam. What are the consequences?

Will I get a failing grade?

Don’t fret. It’s not like it’s the end of the world for you.

Continue reading below to find out what exactly happens when you miss or decided not to take the Licensure Exam in which you have registered for.

The short answer is, missing the Board Exam is not that big a deal.

Missing the exam does not prevent you from taking it some other time. Of course, missing the Board Exam means you can’t be that licensed professional you’ve been dreaming of — at least not yet — since you cannot pass a licensure exam that you did not take.

But even if you weren’t able to take the exam, you’re still allowed to take it sometime in the future, assuming you still have the desire to secure the license and certification you’ve been hoping for.

So what exactly are the consequences of registering but deciding not to take the professional licensure exam? What happens if you won’t take the CPA, Nursing, Bar, LET, Engineer, or any other board exam?

1. You will not receive a “FAILED” or “FAILING” grade just because you missed the exam.

Instead, you will be marked as “DID NOT APPEAR.”

In a way, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) simply notes that you were “ABSENT” during the exam. That’s it, no more, no less.

You did not and could not “fail” the exam because, in the first place, you did not take it. You cannot fail an exam that you did not take.

You won’t get a failing grade and this won’t be registered in your record at all. OK, you can breathe a sigh of relief right now.

2. Any board exam fees that you paid will be forfeited.

Take note, though, that any fees you paid during registration will be forfeited. This means you will not get a refund or reimbursement of the application fee (or any other exam fees) that you paid.

When you made the payment, it’s considered final, regardless if you took or did not take the exam.

3. You’ll have to apply again if you want to take the Board Exam.

In the future, if you finally decide to take the Board Exam, you will start from scratch and apply all over again.

You cannot say that you already submitted the required documents previously. Those are done and cannot be reused.

You will, of course, have to submit new documents and pay the fees again. It’s like applying to take the Board Exam for the first time.

As you can see, missing the Board Exam is not that bad. There are minor consequences, but hopefully they’re not massive enough to dampen your spirits. Do try again some other time.

And when you do, we hope you’ll show up and be able to finish and ultimately pass the Board Exam. Good luck!

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Pinoy Money Talk is an educational website about money, banking, investments, and personal finance which started in 2005. Its group of five writers consists of one equity research analyst, one fintech startup owner, one finance educator, and two investment professionals.